Summary
Ozonations of methylpyranosides, as model compounds for cellulose, were performed in unbuffered
aqueous solution at room temperature. The degradation of the pyranosides was followed spectrophotometrically
and with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as a function of ozonation time.
The substrates studied were the α- and β-anomers of methyl-D-glucopyranoside, methyl-D-mannopyranoside
and methyl-D-xylopyranoside. Methyl-α-D-xylopyranoside degraded more slowly than the other
compounds, whereas the rate of degradation was fastest for methyl-β-D-mannopyranoside. In general
the degradation of the α-anomers was slower than that of the corresponding β-anomers. HPLC and gas
chromatography—mass selective (GC-MS) analyses of the ozonated glucopyranoside samples showed
that monosaccharides, lactones, furanosides and acidic compounds are formed during ozonation.
A lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC), containing a D-xylose unit connected to an aromatic part
through a βglycosidic bond, was used as a model compound for lignocellulosic pulp. The degradation
of this compound during ozonation was also investigated. The results from UV analyses showed that the
reaction was extremely fast at the beginning and that the degradation of benzene structures in the lignin
mimicking part of the LCC was very rapid. The degradation of the carbohydrate part was slower. This
suggests that lignin provides some protection for the cellulose in lignin-containing pulps against attack
by ozone. IR and NMR analyses of the freeze-dried ozonated LCC samples showed further that C=O
structures are produced during ozonation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.